Table of Contents

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Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Behavior, Spring 1960 (ICPSR 3633)

Principal Investigator(s):University of Michigan. Survey Research Center. Economic Behavior Program

Summary:

This survey was undertaken to assess consumer
sentiment and buying plans, as well as retirement plans,
recreational activities, and plans for financing children's
education. Open-ended questions were asked concerning
evaluations and expectations about price changes,
employment, retirement, recession, and the national
business situation. Other questions were asked
regarding respondents' assessments of their financial
status relative to the previous year, their savings,
... (more info)

This survey was undertaken to assess consumer
sentiment and buying plans, as well as retirement plans,
recreational activities, and plans for financing children's
education. Open-ended questions were asked concerning
evaluations and expectations about price changes,
employment, retirement, recession, and the national
business situation. Other questions were asked
regarding respondents' assessments of their financial
status relative to the previous year, their savings,
investments and stocks, and the financing of their
children's college education. Variables explore
respondents' vacation, leisure time, and recreational
activities, especially the types of outdoor recreational
activities engaged in. Other variables probe respondents'
buying intentions for a house, automobiles, appliances,
and other consumer durables, as well as their appraisals
of present market conditions for purchasing these items.
Demographic variables provide information on age, sex,
race, marital status, education, occupation, and family
income.

Universe:
All families living in continental United States
dwelling units, exclusive of those on military reservations.

Data Types:
survey data

Data Collection Notes:

The codebook is provided by ICPSR as a Portable
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software, such as the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Information on how to
obtain a copy of the Acrobat Reader is provided on the ICPSR Web site.

Methodology

Sample:
One respondent from each family unit in the
dwellings sampled, usually the head of the family, or the wife.
The dwelling units were selected by area probability sampling
from 66 primary sampling units. For each dwelling unit in the
sample, an interview was sought with a respondent from the
primary family and from each secondary family (if any). The
head of the family (usually the husband) was the preferred
respondent, but the wife could substitute if the head was not
readily available.